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Seadog (Offline)
  #1 1/25/11 3:00 PM
I have several in mind for the greatest all-time drivers in the Indy 500.

You can have your voice heard.

Link: http://www.thegreatest33.com/
4 Likes: dirtnonwingfan, IndyBound, scottyCbus, SprintManDave
onthegas7j (Offline)
  #2 1/26/11 8:27 AM
Donohue 30th? No Vukovich, Rose or Shaw? Bettenhausen twice... Idk if I'd agree with that list
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Vukie (Offline)
  #3 1/26/11 12:29 PM
Greg Moore, Cristiano da Matta and Alex Zanardi never raced in the 500 not sure how anyone could include them in the "Greatest 33".
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openwheelKT (Offline)
  #4 1/26/11 2:36 PM
Originally Posted by Vukie:
Greg Moore, Cristiano da Matta and Alex Zanardi never raced in the 500 not sure how anyone could include them in the "Greatest 33".
That was my first thought too. Great drivers, but you can’t be the greatest at the Speedway if you never raced there.

Sorry aussie, but I disagree with about 95% of your list. First, 4 time winners have to be on the front row, put Foyt, Unser, and Mears in whatever order you want. Remember, this is the greatest at the SPEEDWAY, not greatest careers. No JR, 3 time winner. No Johncock, 2 time winner. Sneva had 1 win and broke the 200 mph barrier. Will Power has run the race 3 times. He’s the 17th greatest of 732 drivers? Bourdais, 2 times, 13th best? Come on. Roberto Moreno? Nothing to say on that, that’s just comical. I think you need to be a little more objective in your list. It’s not supposed to be your personal favorite list of drivers. Also, this race has been run for 100 years. About 95% of the drivers drove in the recent 50 year period. Pretty sure 3 time winners Wilber Shaw, Louie Meyer, and Mauri Rose belong. I know this is an opinion thing, but you might want to look at some history.
6 Likes: erich45, IndyBound, jim goerge, Need For Speed, sprint72, Vukie
Vukie (Offline)
  #5 1/26/11 3:52 PM
A.J. Foyt, Bill Vukovich, Rick Mears
Al Unser, Helio Castroneves, Parnelli Jones
Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, Rodger Ward
Louie Meyer,Ted Horn, Jim Clark
Tommy Milton, Wibur Shaw, Al Unser Jr,
Emerson Fittipaldi, Ralph DePalma, Tom Sneva,
Johnny Rutherford, Lloyd Ruby,Dario Franchitti,
Mauri Rose,Gordon Johncock, Michael Andretti,
Dan Gurney, Bill Holland, Jim Rathman
Bobby Rahal, Mark Donohue,Tony Bettenhausen
Jimmy Bryan, Jimmy Murphy, Dan Wheldon

http://johnsonindy500.trackforum.com/
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wright59 (Offline)
  #6 1/26/11 4:17 PM
How about Rich Vogler taking out a car that he had never driven and knocking my favorite driver Gordy Johncock at the bell on bump day. And this wasn't the only time he put sub-par cars in the show on bump day when it was a true bump day with 10 or so cars trying to make the show.
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Kansasdirtfan (Offline)
  #7 1/26/11 4:33 PM
Originally Posted by Vukie:
A.J. Foyt, Bill Vukovich, Rick Mears
Al Unser, Helio Castroneves, Parnelli Jones
Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, Rodger Ward
Louie Meyer,Ted Horn, Jim Clark
Tommy Milton, Wibur Shaw, Al Unser Jr,
Emerson Fittipaldi, Ralph DePalma, Tom Sneva,
Johnny Rutherford, Lloyd Ruby,Dario Franchitti,
Mauri Rose,Gordon Johncock, Michael Andretti,
Dan Gurney, Bill Holland, Jim Rathman
Bobby Rahal, Mark Donohue,Tony Bettenhausen
Jimmy Bryan, Jimmy Murphy, Dan Wheldon

http://johnsonindy500.trackforum.com/
I could see Luyendyk being somewhere on the list, but who the heck do you bump to make room for him?
3 Likes: jim goerge, nathans1012, wright59
Seadog (Offline)
  #8 1/26/11 4:52 PM
Not a complete list by any means but IMO (in no particular order)-

Gary B. & his dad
Vogler
Sweikert
Jimmy Bryan
Sam Hanks
Al Unser
Wilbur Shaw
Rickenbacker
Mauri Rose
Ted Horn
A.J.
Lloyd Ruby
Johnnie & Johnny Parsons
Parnelli
Troy Ruttman
Vuky
Helio
Sachs
Ward
Jim Rathmann (he won the first 500 I was at in 1960)
Dario
George Snider
Roger McCluskey
Mel Kenyon

I'll come back and add as I think of more.

Sorry, no love from me for Mario or Michael.
2 Likes: jim goerge, Rapid Rick
PAW (Offline)
  #9 1/27/11 8:42 AM
Originally Posted by aussiemidgetfan:
no order in my selections, just chose 33. I buggered up with tony bettenhausen twice though! Some of my drivers did not race at indy but they were some of the best that ever drove in american openwheel competition.

:99:: Wings Don't Move Air THEY SUCK
2 Likes: jim goerge, Need For Speed
openwheelKT (Offline)
  #10 1/27/11 9:44 AM
Originally Posted by aussiemidgetfan:
No order in my selections, just chose 33. I buggered up with Tony Bettenhausen twice though! Some of my drivers did not race at Indy but they were some of the best that ever drove in American openwheel competition.
Not the point of the poll. Still don't agree with your list regardless. Roberto Moreno is the best Roberto Moreno that ever drove. That's about all I will give you on him. There's about 10 other guys I would remove too.

My list:

Rick Mears, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser
Wiber Shaw, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser
Bill Vukovich, Ralph DePalma, Helio Castroneves
Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Louie Meyer
Parnelli Jones, Mauri Rose, Gordy Johncock
Roger Ward, Al Unser, Jr., Jim Clark
Dario Franchitti, Tom Sneva, Billy Arnold
Arie Luyenkyk, Bill Holland, Mark Donohue
Dan Wheldon, Bobby Rahal, Tommy Milton
Jimmy Bryan, Mike Andretti, Rex Mays
Ted Horn, Lloyd Ruby, Gary Bettenhausen
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